Leather-stretcher.



' W. DUECKBR.

LEATHER STRETGHER. APPLICATION FILED MAY z5, 1914.

Patented Deo. 15, 1914.

Attorneys mea-79e.

2 'WILLIAM DUECKEBI, 0F

MEM-rms, TENNESSEE.

LEATHER-STRETGHEB.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM DUECKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Leather-Stretcher,fof which the followneously used and so arranged that the hide may be stretched in -a multiplicity of dlrecing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in leather stretchers. i

An object of the present invention s to provide a stretcher which is applied to and extends transversely of a hide so as to hold the same firmly in a transverse direction during such time as it is being stretched lengthwise by a stretcher of the usual construction.

'A Jfurther object is to provide a leather or hide .stretcher which is adapted to be applied to and extended transversely of a hide and will require no other means of support than that rendered by the lhide itsel A number of the stretchers may be simultations. The stretcher disclosed in the present specification is thus adapted to hold the hide firmly crosswise while. being stretched lengthwise and it may also be .employed to stretch in a slight manner the hide in a transverse or crosswise direction, thus preventing the formation of kinks or wrinkles extending longitudinaily of the hide while it is being stretched.

A further object is to provide astretcher which will be simple and cheap in construction embodying a minimum-number of parts and thus light in weight ,so as to require no support other than thatreceived from the article to which it is applied.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that' changesin the precise embodiment vof the invention herein disclosed, can be made' within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings accompanying this speciication and forming a Dart thereof,-the preerred embodiment of my invention is illustrated, in which Figure 1 is a view 1n elevatlon of my im- 1 proved structure with portions represented in section., Fig-2 is an end view thereof.

Specification of'Letters-Patent llv-"atentediDem 15, 1914.

Application filed Hay 25, 1914. Serial- 11m-840,874.

Fig. 3 isa cross sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig.-1. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

.Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 5 is a cylindrical pipe which .is provided with the longitudinally extending slot 6. The pipe with itsslot constitutes a bed or guiding base for the movable blocks 7. The movable, blocks are each formed with a lower cylindrical portion 8 which is slidabl'y mounted within the guiding base and censtricted vto longitudinal or rectilinearl motion therein by an upstanding and limited or restricted neck 9. The neck 9 is enlarged to form the body 10 above vwhich is supportedthe ledge 11. The overhang-ing ledge 11 is provided with the vthreaded aperture 12 extending therethrough which threadedly receivesvthe 'shaft 13 therein. The upperextremityof the shaft 13'is o'i'set to form a handle 14, -by means of 'j which the Vshaft Amay be manually and forcibly rotated.. The lower extremityof the shaft is provided with the annular .groove 15 extending therearound which rotatably andat the same time non-shiftably receives and engages the movable gripping block 16. The. gripping block is providedvwith4 the angularly disposed pin 17 `which engages thegroove 15 of the shaft and holds the two against relative shifting'and at.'the same time allows for their free relative rotation.

The .lower surfaces of the` gripping blocks 16 and the upper surfacesof the bodies 10 of the 'movable members are serrated or indented as illustrated in the drawings, so that when leather or allied material is interposed therebetween and pressure is brought to bear upon the movable block, the leather will be positively and rigidly gripped at a plurality of points, preventing the slippingor disligurement of the leather,

and allowing considerable pressure to be exerted thereon. The guide bed or pipe 5 pieces 19 are secured. The end pieces 19 Y are provided with the apertures 20 extending therethrough, through v which the threaded shaft 21 extends'and which latter is Aprovided with the collars 22 arranged upon both sides of the apertures 20 of the present invention is to hold ping blocks Willl not mar,

the apertures -25e2'iteI-1di1`1g through the cylindrlcal portions 8 of. the movable members and `arethus adapted to advance or retractv the movable members, one with relationftothe other, which when leather or allied material is interposed or ,gripped betWeenf the-movable members, will stretch the leather locally 'to 'thus eradicate or'removerlocal and irregular Wrinkles or distortion's,". w,hich, due to `their irregularity will not be removed by a general stretching.

The stretcher herein` disclosed is of particular advantage" When employed in stretching in a crosswise or' transverse direction a hide which is being simultaneously stretched along its longitudinal axis. Thus a' hide While being stretched in the usual andlongitudinal lmanner, tends to kink,

Wrinkleor bag With the axes of the Wrinkles or kinks extending longitudinally of the hide. In order to eradicate and lpreyent such disgurements, the stretcher as above described is nsed.-

My improved stretcher being light in Weight requires no other support than thatv Arendered by the material to which it is attached and the weight of the stretcher 'will not be suiicient to 4sag ordistort the hide.

Although the principal Iobject of the the hide during its dengthwise stretching, it may at the same time stretch to a-slight degree the hide 'in a transverse direction, as Will be readily appreciated. The pipe-like bed 'of the stretcher runs underneath the hide and is supported thereby. The serrated `faces of the gripcut or disgure the leather which is being treated.l

pipe andboth of the said J Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. A stretcher comprising a tube base with a longitudinal slot, a movable member including a cylindrical head slidably mounted Within said tube, a restricted neck carried by said head projecting through- 'adapted to engagera second portion of the pliable material for the stretching thereof.

2. A stretcher comprising a tube base `With a complete longitudinal slot, a threaded shaft extending axially of said tube, a' I 'cap threadedly engaging the end of said tube rotatably and non-shiftably mounting said shaft, a movable member including a cylindrical head positioned Within said tube andWith a neck projecting therefrom extending through said tube slot and in contact With the side Walls thereof, means carried by. said restricted neck adapted to grip pliable material and secure the same thereto, a second gripping means carried by said tube base adapted to engage a second portion of the pliable material, the said threaded shaft adapted to advance and retract the movable member with relation to the second mentioned gripping means, for the local stretching of the pliable material.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaiiixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM DUECKER.

Witnesses:

HENRY DAvIs, J on Davis. 

